Color By Code Worksheets for Teachers
Bring printable color by numbers, letters and more foundational concepts into your classroom with fun worksheets created by teachers for teachers.
This collection of curriculum-aligned teaching resources is designed to add an engaging element to your worksheets for math, science, ELA and more! Best of all, each printable has been carefully reviewed and selected by an expert on the Teach Starter teaching team, so you know it's ready for your classroom, your lesson plans and your students!
Not familiar with the term color by code, or just looking for some fresh ideas to use these worksheets in the classroom? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is a Color By Code Worksheet?
Haven't heard the term color by code? That's OK! Maybe you've heard of color by numbers or coloring by math? Or maybe you call them mystery picture worksheets?
These fun worksheets allow students to pull out their crayons or colored pencils to color a picture based on a predetermined colour key or code, where each color corresponds to a specific number or symbol. The goal is to match the numbers or symbols on the picture with the corresponding colors to reveal a mystery picture.
Color by code refers not just to color by numbers but also coloring by parts of speech, synonyms, addition and other educational concepts!
Coloring by shape is a type of color by code worksheet!
History of Color by Numbers
Ever wonder how coloring by numbers became so popular?
The exact history of these sheets is hard to track down, but as far back as the early 20th century, people were "painting by number" as a recreational activity. Then an activity mainly for adults, it involved painting pre-drawn canvases with numbered sections that corresponded to specific paint colors.
In the 1950s, an artist called Dan Robbins developed a commercial version of the concept called "Paint by Numbers" that helped the idea go mainstream and give life to what we now call color by numbers in schools! His kits included pre-printed canvases, numbered paints and brushes, and his idea was soon adapted to make coloring books for kids.
In the versions for kids, numbers or symbols were added to line drawings instead of canvases, and young children could easily color within the lines using crayons or colored pencils!
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Grammar Grid Mystery Picture Worksheet- Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives (Bunny)
Follow the color-coded parts of speech guide to fill in the word grid and reveal a mystery image.
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Color by Parts of Speech Chameleon Worksheet (Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, Conjunctions and Pronouns)
Practice identifying different parts of speech with this fun color-by-code worksheet.
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Color by Number – Repeated Addition and Multiplication
Guide your students to connect repeated addition with multiplication by completing this color-by-code multiplication worksheet.
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Fall Color By Part of Speech Worksheet - Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs
Use this color by part of speech worksheet as a fun fall activity with your students.
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Telling Time - 1st Grade Math Coloring Sheet
Practice telling time to the hour and half hour with a fun Telling Time Color By Code worksheet!
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Equivalent Fractions – Mystery Picture Worksheet
Determine equivalent fractions while using the color guide to reveal a mystery image.
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Grammar Grid - Parts of Speech Mystery Picture (Crab)
Follow the color-coded parts of speech guide to fill in the word grid and reveal a mystery image.
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Synonyms and Antonyms Worksheet - Color By Code
Help Gran choose her next quilt design with a Synonyms and Antonyms Color-by-Code Worksheet.
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Coloring 2-D Shapes Worksheet
Practice identifying rectangles, squares, circles, and triangles with this 1-page worksheet.
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Color by Fraction Worksheet Pack
Help students understand different types of simple fractions in shapes with this set of unit fraction worksheets.
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Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Color By Code Worksheet
Guide your students to differentiate between examples of weathering, erosion and deposition with this color-by-number science worksheet.
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Color by Number – Multiplication Fact Practice (Mixed)
Practice multiplication facts through 12 with this fun color by number worksheet.
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Color by Letter (c, k, e, h, r) - Dog
Use this free printable color by letter activity with students when practicing letter recognition for the letters c, k, e, h, and r.
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Gumball Compound Words Worksheet
Help your students learn to read and identify compound nouns with a compound word color-by-code worksheet.
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Area Model Multiplication – Color by Number Worksheet Pack
Download this color-by-number worksheet pack for your students to practice using the area model when multiplying multi-digit numbers.
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Halloween Shapes - Color By 2D Shapes Worksheet
Don’t get too spooked while trying to identify 2D shapes with a printable Halloween Shapes Color by Code worksheet!
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Real-World 3D Shapes - Coloring Worksheet
Explore three-dimensional shapes in the real world with this coloring worksheet.
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Subitize and Color – Worksheet
Practice subitizing to five with this color-by-number worksheet.
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What is the Syllable Type? - Color By Syllables Worksheet
Practice identifying the six syllable types in common words with this color-coding activity.
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Grammar Grid Mystery Picture Worksheet-Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives
Follow the color-coded parts of speech guide to fill in the word grid and reveal a mystery image.
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Color by Number - Numbers 0–9
A color by number activity for students to practice number recognition.
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Following Directions Worksheets - Reading a Clock Review
Practice telling time to the half-hour, quarter-hour, and five-minute mark with a pack of printable Following Directions worksheets.
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Halloween Multiplication Color By Number Worksheet
Practice multiplying single-digit numbers with a Halloween color-by-number worksheet.
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Color by Parts of Speech (Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Pronouns, Prepositions, and Adverbs) – Toucan
Practice identifying different parts of speech with this color by code worksheet.
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Multiplication Mystery Picture (Ice Cream)
Use the color-coded multiplication guide to complete the grid and reveal a mystery picture.
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Color by Coin - Coin Identification Worksheet
Identify quarters, nickels, dimes, and pennies by coloring each picture according to a color guide.
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Color by Sight Words - 5 Words - Dog
A fun coloring activity to use when working with sight words.
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Dinosaur Math - Addition and Subtraction (Version 2)
Solve the addition and subtraction number sentences to color the dinosaur.
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Double Digit Multiplication Worksheets - Halloween Color By Number
Practice multiplying 2-digit by 2-digit numbers with a pair of engaging Halloween color-by-number worksheets.
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Firefighter Color By Number Worksheet - Hundreds Chart
Print the perfect math activity for Fire Prevention Week with a printable firefighter hundreds chart color-by-number worksheet.
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Dot Day Multiplication and Division Color By Number
Integrate Dot Day concepts into your math lessons with printable Dot Day Multiplication and Division color-by-number worksheets.
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Odd and Even Color-by-Number Worksheets
Practice identifying if the sum of two numbers is odd and even with this fun set of color-by-number worksheets.